Jalen Ramsey Lobbies to Follow Ja'Marr Chase in Coverage Ahead of Super Bowl LVI

Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey makes a public sales pitch to follow Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase in coverage.

Nicholas Cothrel | Feb 8, 2022

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LOS ANGELES – Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey is the type of player who embraces a challenge. And he's gearing up for a considerable one this weekend when the Rams defense will be tasked with the duties of slowing down the Bengals' lethal passing attack led by quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

Ramsey has been deployed this season in a way that doesn’t limit him to just one specific duty or lock onto one player. But, in speaking with reporters Monday via a video conference call, Ramsey was direct in his responses, saying he'd like to be shadowing Chase if that was in the works of the gameplan.

Ramsey said he's lobbied to matchup against the Bengals' talented rookie, but added that it's not as clear-cut as it may seem regarding his role on the defense.

"It's me now, it's me, keep it real. Of course, that's what I'm asking for," Ramsey said on the idea of following Chase in coverage over the complexity of Sunday's game. "That's what I want. Whoever you think their best man is, put me on him. Let me help the team win this game. That's what it's all about.

"There are different areas where we might have to do something different because it might put the team in a better position to win. So, wherever the game may take us, it will take us, and we are going to do what we've got to do from there. But you're going to get to see that matchup, you're going to have the opportunity to see it, and I'm going to be ready for it."

Ramsey, a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, typically aligns from multiple positions throughout each contest. From playing boundary cornerback, nickel cornerback and sometimes getting looks at inside linebacker in the box, Ramsey's versatility allows defensive coordinator Raheem Morris to use him as a chess piece, matching up with what their opposition throws at them.

The Bengals wide receiver core is among the best in the NFL. Led by the rookie Chase, they also run out the likes of Tee Higgins, who accounted for over 1,000 receiving yards and six touchdowns in addition to Tyler Boyd, who capped off a season of 800-plus yards and five touchdowns.

Similar to Ramsey identifying Chase as a challenge he embraces, the Bengals receiver group noted Ramsey among the top defenders they'll face all season.

Chase pointed to Ramsey's rare combination of size and speed. Meanwhile, Boyd stated that he sees Ramsey as the game's best at what he does.

“I think he’s definitely probably the best cornerback in the NFL,” Boyd said. “And I think he does a great job of watching film. He’s just so rangy. He’s a big guy. He’s bigger than the average corner, so that’s what helps him a lot — because (he) can cover a lot of range and he can get to a lot of spots sooner than other corners. I think we’ve just got to go out there and play our game. If we just play our game and make him play his best, that’s what we need. We love to compete. And no matter wherever he’s at, we’re going to take chances and throw the ball to our guys.

“But he’s a great player and he understands his assignment, he understands how to play football, and he does a great job of doing that. So we’ve got to be at our best — any one of us — when we go out there and line up in front of him to figure out ways to win our matchup.”

While Ramsey indicated he'd relish the opportunity to go snap-for-snap against Chase, it's likely the Rams will continue using him in the way they've done so for great lengths of time this season, penciling him into the star position.

It will require a collective effort to minimize the big gains from Cincinnati's top receiving trio. Plus, that's not even factoring in running back Joe Mixon, who's shown the ability to produce out of the backfield as a pass-catcher in the playoffs, totaling 106 receiving yards across his last three games.

The Rams have held opponents to an average of 18 points per game in postseason play, and they’ll look to follow a similar blueprint on Sunday in an attempt to diminish Cincinnati's offensive efforts.

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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick and Ram Digest on Twitter @NickCothrel & @RamDigestSI for more Rams coverage.

Published Feb 8, 2022

NICHOLAS COTHREL

Nick Cothrel covers the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated.